Prostate cancer, dubbed the \"retirement disease,\" is now a growing global threat to men’s health, with cases and deaths rising steadily. In 2022 alone, China reported over 134,200 new cases and 47,500 deaths—a trend mirrored worldwide. 🚨
Doctors are sounding the alarm: early detection through PSA blood tests could save lives. Yet, many men over 50 skip this simple check. \"By the time symptoms like pain appear, the cancer is often advanced,\" warns Dr. Liu Ming of Beijing Hospital, who’s leading a national push for better screening.
Here’s the game plan 💡: Men over 50 should get a PSA test. If levels are high, follow up with an MRI—a new strategy to reduce unnecessary biopsies. 80-90% of MRI-positive cases catch intermediate-to-high-risk cancers early, boosting survival rates.
But there’s a catch: \"70-80% of patients ignore abnormal PSA results,\" says Liu. Many older men don’t believe a blood test can detect ‘silent’ cancer. Cue urgent calls to add PSA tests to routine checkups!
For those diagnosed early, treatments like surgery or radiation can be curative. But advanced cases? They demand lifelong therapy. 💊 \"Stopping treatment risks survival,\" Liu stresses—a reminder that slow-growing doesn’t mean harmless.
Bottom line: Catching prostate cancer early is like updating your phone’s OS—proactive care keeps everything running smoothly. 📱✨ Time to prioritize that PSA test, gents!
